Sociology WA

Perspectives name different ways in which efferent people choose to analyze a subject, and how they look at a society as a whole. The three different perspectives are the functionalist, conflict, and interactions perspectives (Schaefer, R. T. 1997). The functionalist perspective looks at a society in a positive manner and sees it as stable, with all the parts working together and views it on the macro-sociological level. Under the functionalist view every social aspect of a society contributes to the society’s survival. The macro-sociological level means that a society is studied on a large scale as a whole.

The view of the individual in a functionalist perspective is that people are socially molded, not forced, to perform societal functions. Order is maintained when members of a society cooperate with one another. Functionalists view social change as being predictable and positive. The main idea of functionalist perspective is that of stability. When approaching a subject with the functionalist perspective, manifest and latent functions as well as dysfunctions are investigated. A manifest function of an institution is one that is stated and expected.

A latent function is one that is unexpected or can show a hidden repose of an institution, and a dysfunction is a component of a society that can cause instability. All of these are used in analyzing a society in the functionalist perspective (Schaefer, R. T. 1997). Reality TV is the best genre to coincide with all three perspectives of Sociology. The viewers see the new fashions and technology, and hear the latest slang of the participants. This keeps viewers right in step with our ever changing society and puts money in the pockets of those placing their products on the program, thus, continuing to turn the economical wheel.

Another function is that strangers that rebelliously may have had nothing in common, can now seemingly carry on conversations as if longtime friends because they both view the same show. One latent dysfunction of reality TV is that a person may perceive one of the characters to be more “real” than they actually are, which could lead them too attempt to emulate some of the outrageous actions of the characters on the program. Others making the same mistake can develop unhealthy views of their own bodies, and do radical things like extreme dieting and permanent body modifications because some reality TV shows portray those actions as a norm.

This could be latent or manifest depending on the intentions Of the producers and advertisers. In contrast, conflict sociologists see a society as being in constant struggle. The conflict perspective sees society as being full of struggle or tension and assumes that social behavior is best understood in terms of conflict between people. The conflict perspective analyzes society on the macro-sociological level just like the functionalists. As for the individual, they are perceived as being shaped by power and authority. Social order is viewed as being maintained not through cooperation, but through force.

While social change is constantly taking place, the conflict perspective’s main idea is that there is always conflict of some kind, because competing interests between groups and social inequality will constantly exist (Schaefer, R. T. 1997). Competition is the focus of conflict theory, which provides for some of the most entertaining aspects of reality television. Some of the most popular shows place teams against each other in competition with a prize for the winner. Nearly all reality television shows use some sort of conflict over resources to keep their ratings going through the roof.

It seems that people elate easily to the manufactured struggles and dysfunctions because of the everyday struggles they must endure. The interactions perspective generalizes about fundamental or everyday forms of social interaction. The interactions perspective focuses on the way that small groups act in order to understand society as a whole. They study people in their everyday behavior and how they react to their surroundings. These surroundings can include everything from; material things, actions, other people, and symbols.

The interactions view of society is that we influence each other’s everyday social interactions solely by being there. In contrast to functionalist and conflict perspectives, the interactions perspective studies society on a micro-sociological level. They study on a smaller individual scale In order to understand the large scale. Interactions believe that an individual creates their own social world through their interactions, and that social order is maintained when people share their understanding of everyday behavior.

Interactions say that social change occurs when the positions and communication with one another change (Schaefer, R. T. 1997). Part of the reason Reality TV has become so popular is hat people watch it, then compare themselves and their actions with that of the reality TV stars. Afterwards, some viewers will be left with an enhanced feeling of self-worth from the positive attributes or even the negative characteristics of those being viewed, thus, justifying their behaviors. In order to fit in to society, some people may modify their own actions based on the perceived reality of the TV show.

It is easy to reality TV programs and the way they are perceived, could affect society as a whole. The reality TV fad that is not going anywhere anytime soon, no matter how much some of us wish it ad never started. As seen through the functionalist, conflict, and interactions perspectives, reality TV has become an integral part Of society. B) C. Wright Mills invented the term sociological imagination. In your own words, what is the sociological imagination? Select an article from a news magazine (such as Time or Newsweek) that describes conflicts and the changes that are taking place in a community.

Describe these conflicts and changes. How can the sociological imagination help us to understand them? Be sure to provide your mentor with full bibliographic information for the article you have chosen so that she or he can locate and read the article. Sociological imagination is the ability to understand how internal and external factors affect an individual in all aspects of society. According to Mills, an individual with sociological imagination can understand and learn from his own experiences, which is imperative for personal growth.

It is important that people are able to relate their daily lives to the local, national, and global societal issues that affect them. Without the ability to make these relations, people are unable to determine if they require change to better their everyday lives (Schaefer, R. T. 1997). “People sleep peaceably in their beds at night only because rough men stand ready to do violence on their behalf’ (George Orwell). The men and women who have served or are currently serving in the CIA whether they were covert or overt have been in harm’s way at some point in their career.

The United States citizens depend on the CIA along with other government agencies to keep them safe from things that go bump in the night. Some practices by these agencies may be seen as barbaric or mean but they are useful for multiple reasons. The CIA Interrogations group has come under fire because of water raiding and rectal feeding/hydration. Unless am mistaken, if a person refuses to drink water or eat, they will die. Thus, the purpose of forced rectal feeding/hydration is born in order to keep prisoners and detainees alive.

I doubt the American public would like for the men and women of the CIA to allow these people to die on their watch. The health and welfare of any prisoner of any facet of the American Government is paramount. These Government Agencies must adapt at all times in order to still appease the American public and keep them safe at the same time. Unbeknownst to some people, no agency has figured out a way to tickle information out of terrorist, if they have then they must be keeping that a better secret then the water boarding. Which, according to former Vice President Dick Cheney, weatherboarding is not torture.

Unfortunately, some of the American public would beg to differ (Miller). The Advanced Interrogations Tactics are effective according to former Vice President Dick Cheney. “I’d do it again in a minute” stated former UP Dick Cheney, referring to the support given to the CIA and their tactics. He went on to give laudatory remarks about the interrogators and say that “They should be decorated. (Miller) Although these tactics may seem useful, the agencies that use them continue to draw discredit and distrust from society since they can only state that the effectiveness of their tactics are “unknown” (Miller).

The American public does not realize what must be done, and is done every day to ensure their way of life. The American Government’s Agencies must constantly use Sociological Imagination to analyze the safety and security of American society and adapt to stay within the limits of the law and keep up with the ever changing threats to America. The American Society has built a way of life that personifies redeem. We are able to pursue any walk of life that doesn’t interfere with another citizen’s pursuit of happiness.